Fluid controlled device



S p 5, 1964 B. J. GREENBLOTT FLUID CONTROLLED DEVICE Filed June 7, 1962 23 //VVEN7'0R BERNARD J. QREENBLOTT 10 By 524 (042% ATTORNEY FIG. 3 1, ET

United States Patent 3,148,691 FLUID CONTROLLED DEVICE Bernard J. Greenblott, Binghamton, N.Y., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed June 7, 1962, Ser. No. 290,703 8 Claims. (Cl. 13781.5)

This invention relates to devices for controlling switching of a fluid power stream selectively into a plurality of outlet passages. The invention relates, more particularly, to devices of the so-called fluid amplifier type which employ fluid pressure actuated flexible, expandable or displaceable members to control switching of the power stream without commingling of the control pressure fluid with that of the stream.

Fluid amplifier devices are so named because a low energy pressure fluid control signal can control and switch a high energy fluid power stream to produce an output signal of higher energy level than the control signal. In fluid amplifier devices heretofore proposed, a fluid power stream, after leaving a nozzle, is switched selectively to one or the other of two outlet passages. This may be done by supplying pressure fluid continuously, or as a pulse, to one of the control ports at the exit end of said nozzle to enlarge the separation bubble adjacent the Wall of one of the outlet passages until the stream is diverted to the other outlet passage. Or, switching may be effected by closing the other control port so that the fluid that is flowing in through said one control port from the atmosphere or some other source will create a suflicient fluid pressure unbalance adjacent the exit end of the nozzle to enlarge the separation bubble and effect switching of the stream to said other outlet.

In arrangements where it is desired to effect switching in response to supply of pressure fluid to a control port either continuously or as a pulse, the control pressure fluid thus supplied to the control port will, of course, be admitted to and commingle with the pressure fluid of the stream. There are instances where this may be undesirable. For example, the control pressure fluid may contain poisons, noxious or corrosive fumes or ingredients, or be otherwise contaminated, such as found in the manufacture of steel, paper or chemicals. Or, the control pressure fluid may contain foreign matter, such as card dust or chips, which might clog a control apparatus if permitted to mix with the fluid jet of the main stream.

One object of this invention is therefore to provide an improved fluid controlled device wherein switching of the fluid power stream from one outlet passage to another can be accomplished 'by a control pressure fluid without commingling of the control pressure fluid with the fluid power stream. I

Another object is to provide a fluid control system wherein a control pressure fluid supplied to a single conduit can simultaneously switch the fluid power streams in a plurality of superposed fluid amplifier devices without commingling of the control pressure fluid with any of said streams.

Still another object is to provide a fluid amplifier device wherein one or more members are flexed, expanded or displaced by fluid under pressure fully or partially to constrict the control port adjacent a particular outlet to cause a fluid power stream to be switched into said out- I let.

A further objectis to provide a fluid amplifier device wherein a fluid power stream is switched from one outlet passage to another by fluid pressure effected displacement of flexible member in a direction outwardly from the wall of said passage.

Another object is to provide a fluid amplifier device wherein the effective areas of the respective control ports are so related that switching of the fluid power stream to a desired outlet will require selective supply of pressure fluid to one (or, if preferred, concurrent supply of pressure fluid to both) of two tubes associated with a particular control port.

According to these objects, the fluid controlled device embodying the invention comprises a member comprising flexible, displaceable or expandable means which is actuated by fluid under pressure to move outwardly from the wall of an opening and, by interfering with the passage of fluid therethrough, effect either direct or indirect switching of a fluid power stream to another outlet. The member may be a generally rigid tube with parititions or the like that are flexed, expanded or displaced by a control pressure fluid. Or the member may be substantially entirely resilient, like a balloon.

According to one embodiment of the invention, one such member is disposed along a control port and normally retracted within or substantially flush with the wall of such port. Or, two such members may be arranged at opposite transverse sides of such control port, with their expandable means normally retracted or rendered ineffective so as. to permit substantially unconstricted flow of pressure fluid through the control port. With these arrangements, when pressure fluid is supplied to one or both of these members, the expandable means of these members will move generally transversely of the direction of flow of fluid through the control port to constrict such flow. Where two such members are associated with a single control port, the effective area of that control port may be so related to that of another control port as to require a supply of pressure fluid to either one or both of the members to switch the fluid power stream; i.e., require either a logical OR or a logical AND relation to effect switching of the stream to another outlet.

According to a modification of the invention, a mem- -ber of the type above described may be deployed along and normally substantiallyflush with the outer wall of an outlet passage (rather than along the wall of a con- .trol port). Upon supply of pressure fluid to such member, the separation bubble adjacent said outer wall will be enlarged sufliciently'to divert the stream away from said wall and into another outlet passage.

With either of these embodiments, the fluid controlled devices may be superposed such that a single member passing through all such devices may effect concurrent switching of the respective fluid streams in each such device.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of fluid controlled devices embodying the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGJ is a vertical section view of a fluid controlled device embodying two variations of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective View, partly in phantom, showing how a plurality of devices of the type shown in FIG.

. 1 may be superposed and interconnected by rigid tube like control members with expandable or displaceable portions, so as to be capable of concurrent control by pressure fluid from one or moresources;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a pair of the tube-like control members arranged side-by-side alongopposite transverse walls of the respective superposed devices; and

DescriptinFIGS. 1 to 3 The fluid controlled device constructed according to this embodiment of the invention comprises a housing providing a nozzle 11. A fluid power stream is supplied from an inlet 12 through the nozzle 11 and thence selectively into either of two outlet passages 13, 14 that open through the exterior of the housing. As illustrated, the passages 13, 14 are in part defined by divergent outer walls 13a, 14a which are set back or offset from the exit end of the nozzle. Also, control ports 15, 16 extend from the exterior of the housing and at their inner ends have mouths that open through the outer walls 13a, 14a, respectively, at the exit end of the nozzle. The control ports 15, 16 are shown to be of equal effective areas with their outer ends open to the atmosphere.

Because the outer walls 13a, 14a are set back from the exit end of the nozzle 11, a low pressure region will be created at X when the fluid power stream is directed into passage 13. This will tend to maintain the stream locked on to wall 130 by so-called boundary layer control and thus maintain the stream diverted into passage 13 even if both control ports 15, 16 have unconstricted communication with the atmosphere. The power stream can be switched to passage 13 by momentarily constricting or blocking control port 15, while leaving control port 16 open to atmosphere without restriction. This would be equivalent to supplying a pressure fluid pulse to control port 16 while leaving control port open to the atmosphere. Similarly, since wall 14a is likewise offset, a low pressure region will be created at Y when the fluid power stream is directed into passage 14; and this will tend to maintain the stream locked on to wall 14a once the stream is directed into said passage. The device as thus far described constitutes a bistable fluid amplifier with lock on.

According to this embodiment of the invention, switching of the stream from passage 13 to passage 14 is effected by supplying fluid under pressure to a hollow member 17; and switching of the stream from passage 14 back into passage 13 is effected by concurrently supplying fiuid under pressure to two side-by-side arranged hollow members 18, 19.

These members 17, 18, 19 are identical in structure. As best shown in FIG. 3, each of these members comprises a rigid tubular casing 20 which may be formed of metal. Each tubular casing is longitudinally divided into two substantially semicircular parts by a flexible, expandable or displaceable diaphragm or partition 21 suitably bonded or otherwise sealingly secured to opposite sides of the inner wall of the casing. At one side of each partition 21 is an elongated semicircular chamber 22 for receiving a control pressure fluid. At the other side of each partition, each member 17, 18, 19 has a plurality of axially spaced cut-outs or windows 23 separated by intervening ribs 24. The axial length of each window corresponds to the depth x (FIG. 2) of the control ports and passages. The thickness y (FIG. 2) of each rib 24 corresponds to the total height or thickness of the housing 10 less the depth of the control ports and passages.

Member 17 passes through aligned bores 25 extending through the respective housings 10 of each device. Each bore 25 provides a semicircular recess in the corresponding outer wall 13a. Member 17 is rotationally oriented in these bores 25 such that each partition 21 forms part of the wall 13a of a respective passage 13. Hence, the windows 23 provide openings permitting the fluid of the respective power streams normally to flow along the corresponding walls 13a without impedance or interference. The member 17 is preferably disposed at a point along each wall 13a at or just beyond the downstream end of a separation bubble indicated at 26.

Members 18, 19 pass through aligned bores 27, 28, respectively, extending through the respective housings 10 of each device. These bores provide semicircular recesses which face each other and are formed in opposite walls of the control port 15. Members 18, 19 are so oriented rotationally within these bores that their respective partitions 21 form part of the oppositely arranged walls of control port 15. So long as the pressure of fluid in chambers 22 of the members 18, 19 is equal to or less than that in the control port 15, each partition 21 will permit fluid to flow freely through said control port from atmosphere to the region at X. Arrow 30 (FIG. 3) shows how such flow is accomplished, in each device, between the oppositely arranged partitions 21 and through the facing cut-outs or windows 23.

An escape port 31 is provided in a flow divider 32 to release excess pressure fluid from the power stream and assure reliable switching of the stream between the passages 13, 14. As illustrated, this escape port is open to atmosphere and is disposed between the divergent inner walls 13b, 14b of the respective passages 13, 14; however, additional escape ports may be employed, if desired. The escape port(s) assure that if there is some form of impedance (such as a restriction or piston, not shown) at the downstream end of passage 13 and/ or 14, no adverse pressure gradient will be created which is suflicient to cause the fluid jet stream to leave the wall of such passage.

Operation Assume that a plurality of superposed fluid controlled devices embodying the invention are stacked as shown in FIG. 2; that the various devices are securely staked to each other by the members 17, 18, 19; that one end of the stack is sealed off by an imperforate end plate 33; and that a pump P supplies fluid under pressure via a pipe 34 to the inlet 12 of each device. Assume also that control valves 35, 36, 37 are interposed between the pump P and the chambers 22 of the respective members 17, 18, 19 to control selective supply of control pressure fluid to such chambers.

Assume now that the valves 35, 36, 37 are positioned to vent the respective chambers 22 in members 17, 18, 19; and that the fluid power stream in each device is directed into the passage 13 of such device. To switch the power stream from passage 13 to passage 14, valve 35 is actuated to supply control pressure fluid to chamber 22 of member 17. This pressure fluid will flex, expand or displace the partition 21 in a direction away from each wall 13a. This, in turn, will enlarge the separation bubble 26 sufliciently, at its downstream end, to cause the streams in each device to be directed simultaneously away from the corresponding walls 13a and diverted into the corresponding passages 14. As soon as the streams are switched, chamber 22 of member 17 may be vented via valve 35. The stream will remain locked on to wall 14a by boundary layer control, as previously described.

To switch the stream back into passage 13, valves 36, 37 are concurrently actuated to supply control pressure fluid to the chambers 22 of members 18 and 19. As the partitions 21 of these members are flexed, displaced or expanded toward each other, they will constrict flow through the control port 15 sufficiently to prevent flow of air from the atmosphere to region X. As previously explained, this will create an unbalance in fluid pressures in the control ports 15, 16 with the higher (atmospheric) pressure being in the control port 16. This will enlarge the separation bubble 26 at its upstream end sufficiently to switch the stream into passage 13. Thereafter, the stream will remain locked on to wall 13a in the manner already described, even if the chambers 22 of members 18 and 19 are subsequently vented by valves 36 and 37 and fluid at the same reference pressure (illustratively assumed as atmospheric) is permitted to flow into both ports 15 and 16 concurrently.

It will thus be seen that by constructing and orienting the members 17, 18, 19 in the manner above described,

two useful results are achieved. First, these members provide a rigid casing 20 that can readily pass through the aligned bores 25 in a stack of superposed fluid controlled devices, and thereby securely stake said devices together. Secondly, when a control pressure fluid is supplied to the chamber 22 in any one of these members 17, 18, 19, the corresponding partition 21 will be deflected or expanded simultaneously in all of the devices. Thus, concurrent switching of the respective fluid power streams in all of the devices may be effected by a superatmospheric control pressure fluid that cannot commingle with the pressure fluid of the respective streams. Thus, liquid power streams may be switched by supplying a gaseous type of control pressure fluid to an appropriate one of the control chambers 22; and conversely.

Description and perati0 n-FIG. 4

The fluid controlled device constructed according to this embodiment differs from that shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 primarily in that expandable or resilient members 50 are substituted for the members 17, 18 and 19.

The members 50 are like balloons and will be collapsed as shown when no control pressure fluid is supplied thereto. Upon selective supply of control pressure fluid to these members, they will expand or be displaced in a manner generally similar to the partitions 21 of the members 17, 18, 19 and for the same purpose. The housing of each device constructed according to this embodiment may be identical with the housing or, if preferred, it may be modified slightly to provide a housing 10' having, instead of the bores 25, semicircular member-accommodating openings 25 that pass completely through the housing. In such case, by providing a suitable recess in the upper or lower side of each housing 10', O-ring type seals 51 may be compressed between adjacent devices and around each opening 25'. This, desirably enables the control ports and the passages 13 of the respective devices to be sealed off from each other. This arrangement would be especially useful where it is desired to effect concurrent switching of a number of power streams that are supplied with fluid under pressure through lateral inlets 12 from separate sources (rather than from the common source P).

It should be understood, with respect to both embodiments above described, that the walls 13a, 13b need not necessarily be set back from the sides of the nozzle 11 to provide lock on. A separation bubble 26 will be provided even without such setback. However, the pressure gradient between regions X and Y existing when the power stream is directed into either passage 13 or 14 will be influenced, among other things, by the angle at which the walls 13a, 14a diverge from the exit end of the nozzle. In other words, such gradient will increase as the angle increases and tends to enlarge the separation bubble 26. However, the offset or setback is preferred to provide a somewhat increased pressure gradient for a given angle of divergence of the walls 130, 140 from the axis of the nozzle 11.

If preferred, switching of the power stream in each device may be eflec-ted by supplying pressure fluid to one of the members 18 or 19 (or alternatively, to one of the members 50 in control port 15), rather than to both such members concurrently. This can be achieved, for example, by employing partitions 21 or members 50 which are flexed or expanded a greater degree by the control pressure fluid, or by reducing the width of the control port 15.

Moreover, it will be understood that fluid at some reference pressure other than atmospheric may be supplied to the control ports 15 and 16 of each device; and/or reference pressures supplied to one set of control ports (such as 15) may differ from those supplied to another set (such as 16); and/ or the effective areas of these ports may be dissimilar. If the control ports 15 are connected to a source of fluid at a higher reference pressure than the control ports 16, or if the effective area of the ports 15 exceeds that of the ports 16 though connected to the same reference pressure, the streams in the respective devices will be biased into the corresponding passages 14. In such case, the devices will be of the monostable type, and member 17 or the member 50 along wall 13a may be eliminated. Similarly, by providing monostable devices wherein the streams are biased into the respective passages 13, the members 18, 19 or the members 50 in the control port 15 may be eliminated.

Finally, it will be apparent that members of the type of 17, 18, 19 and/or 50 may be associated with and extend through other control ports (such as 16) or other passages (such as 14) of the respective devices.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A fluid controlled apparatus comprising:

a plurality of superposed fluid controlled devices each having an inlet for issuing a corresponding fluid stream and at least two divergent outlet passages into which such stream is selectively switchable,

at least one hollow member having a substantially rigid perforate casing passing through all of the said devices and serving to secure said devices rigidly together,

a flexible element associated with each member and forming part of the wall of one of the passages of each such device, and

means for supplying a control pressure fluid to a chamber defined between the casing and each such element to eifect concurrent flexure of all of said elements to divert the respective streams in each device concurrently from said one passage to a corresponding other passage without cornmingling of the control pressure fluid with the fluids of the respective streams.

2. A fluid controlled apparatus comprising:

a plurality of superposed fluid controlled devices each having an inlet for issuing a corresponding fluid stream and a plurality of outlet passages into which such stream is selectively switchable, and a plurality of control ports all normally concurrently supplied with fluid at a reference pressure and each opening through the wall of a corresponding outlet passage,

a hollow member having a generally rigid casing passing through all of said devices and serving to secure said devices together,

a movable partition within the casing and cooperating with said casing to define an elongated chamber, said partition forming part of a wall of a particular one of the control ports in each device, and

means for supplying a control pressure fluid to said chamber to constrict flow of such reference pressure fluid through the corresponding one control ports of each device and thus cause the stream in each device to be diverted into that particular passage with which said one control port is associated without cornmingling of the control pressure fluid with the fluids of the respective streams.

3. The combination according to claim 2, wherein an additional one of said members is disposed beside the first-mentioned member such that the respective partitions of both members form part of substantially opposite walls of said one control ports of the respective devices, and

wherein fluid under pressure must be supplied concurrently to the respective chambers in each member to constrict flow through the said one control ports sufficiently to effect switching of the streams in each device.

4. A fluid controlled switching device comprising means providing an inlet for issuing a fluid stream, and

means for directing pressure fluid against said surface to move said flexible means to enlarge said separation bubble and thereby effect diversion of the stream from said one passage into another of the passages. The combination according to claim 4, wherein said member is expandable and balloon-like.

The combination according to claim 4, including means providing control ports opening through one of the walls of each outlet passage substantially at the exit end of the inlet and normally supplied with fluid at a reference pressure, and

at least one element associated with at least one of the control ports and displaceable by fluid under pressure to so constrict flow of such reference pressure fluid through said one control port as to cause the stream to be diverted into the corresponding passage by the action of the reference pressure fluid supplied via the remaining control ports.

A fluid controlled apparatus comprising a plurality of superposed substantially flat devices each having an inlet for issuing a respective fluid stream, and a plurality of outlet passages into which such stream is selectively switchable, at least one of said outlet passages having an outer wall th at diyerges from the exitend of the inlet topfovide a separation it bubble adjacent saidivall when the stream is directed into such one passage,

common flexible element extending through all of said devices and exposed through openings in the corresponding diverging outer wall of each device at a point in proximity of where each separation bubble is provided,

means including said element for defining a common chamber sealingly isolated from all said passages, and

means for supplying pressure fluid to said chamber to move said flexible element to enlarge said separation bubble and thereby effect concurrent switching of the stream in each device from said one passage to a corresponding other one of the passages.

A fluid controlled apparatus comprising plurality of superposed substantially flat devices each having an inlet for issuing a respective fluid stream, and a plurality of diverging outlet passages into which such stream is selectively switchable, and a plurality of control ports all normally supplied with fluid at a reference pressure and each Opening through the wall of a corresponding outlet passage near the exit end of the inlet,

a common flexible element extending through all of said devices and exposed through a wall of a respective one of the control ports of each device,

means including said element for defining a common chamber sealingly isolated from all said passages, and

means for supplying pressure fluid to said chamber to move said flexible element to concurrently constrict flow of reference pressure fluid through all of said one control ports and thereby cause switching of the stream in each device into those outlet passages asso ciated with said one control ports.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,230,007 Milliken June 12, 1917 2,898,078 Stephenson et al. Aug. 4, 1959 2,984,448 Koplin May 16, 1961 3,001,539 Hurvitz ept. 26, 1961 3,005,533 Wadey Oct. 24, 1961 3,030,979 Reilly Apr. 24, 1962 

4. A FLUID CONTROLLED SWITCHING DEVICE COMPRISING MEANS PROVIDING AN INLET FOR ISSUING A FLUID STREAM, AND A PLURALITY OF OUTLET PASSAGES INTO WHICH THE STREAM IS SELECTIVELY DIVERTABLE, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID OUTLET PASSAGES HAVING A DIVERGENT OUTER WALL ADJACENT THE EXIT END OF THE INLET CONFIGURED TO PROVIDE A SEPARATION BUBBLE ADJACENT SUCH OUTER WALL WHEN THE STREAM IS DIRECTED INTO SUCH PASSAGE, A MEMBER COMPRISING FLEXIBLE MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OUTER WALL OF SAID ONE PASSAGE TO PROVIDE A FLEXIBLE SURFACE SEALINGLY ISOLATED FROM SAID ONE PASSAGE, AND MEANS FOR DIRECTING PRESSURE FLUID AGAINST SAID SURFACE TO MOVE SAID FLEXIBLE MEANS TO ENLARGE SAID SEPARATION BUBBLE AND THEREBY EFFECT DIVERSION OF THE STREAM FROM SAID ONE PASSAGE INTO ANOTHER OF THE PASSAGES. 